1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method and compositions for growing acid producing bacteria wherein an essentially water insoluble alkaline earth metal salt or base is generated in situ in the aqueous growth medium. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of a powdered growth medium composition containing an alkaline earth metal cation and an anion which reacts to form the insoluble salt or base when the powder is added to an aqueous solution.
2. Prior Art and Related Patent Application
In our application Ser. No. 52,960, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,255 we described prior art relating to neutralization in growing acid producing bacteria. This earlier application particularly describes an improvement in the use of a water insoluble base or salt as a neutralizing agent for the acid generated by the bacteria. This method works extremely well; however, various considerations, particularly cost and availability of chemicals as discussed hereinafter, dictated finding a method wherein the insoluble neutralizing agent was prepared in a different manner. Also, the insoluble salts and bases may be granular rather than powdered or require hammer milling to prevent mixing problems both before and during use of the compositions which may limit their effectiveness.
The reaction of compounds in water to produce soluble or insoluble salts is well known in the general chemical literature. However, the inventors are not aware of any prior art which deals with the in situ generation of an insoluble neutralizing agent in a bacterial growth media.